Tag Archives: West Palm Beach Termite Control

Florida Pigeon Control & Removal Experts

Pigeons can be found anywhere in the country, but are most frequently found in heavily populated areas where people (most often unintentionally) will provide them with an abundant supply of food. Pigeons prefer grains for food and by spilling food or leaving trashcans uncovered, humans are inadvertently providing them with a continuous food supply, one that these birds have become dependent on.

Pigeons have also become dependent on humans to provide them with roosting and nesting sites. They are commonly found around agricultural areas, warehouses and feed mills, as well as inner city parks, buildings, and bridges. They prefer to build their nests on flat, secluded surfaces such as ledges, eaves, and windowsills, or in other protected areas such as gutters and steeples.

Most pigeons are approximately 11 inches long and weigh about 13 ounces. They typically have a gray body with whitish rump, red feet, and two black bars on their wing feathers and a broad black band on their tail.

Pigeons are filthy birds and carry many other pests on them, such as fleas, ticks and mites, which pose their own health dangers to the public, including lyme disease. Pigeons themselves are known to carry several diseases and can contaminate food, causing food poisoning such as salmonellosis. Their plentiful droppings are also known to trigger human slips and falls.

While some may suggest using a decoy owl, snake, or brightly colored balloons to scare the pigeons away, ultimately the pigeons will become acclimated to the presence of these devices and ignore them. The best way to avoid a pigeon infestation is to deny them nesting and roosting space. Vents and gutters should be sealed or covered. Nesting on ledges, eaves or windowsills can be deterred by installing tightly strung wire or string just above the surface.

Additionally, make sure to clean up food spills promptly and keep trashcans covered. By denying the pigeons of a continuous food source, they will seek shelter elsewhere.

If you are already seeing signs of a pigeon infestation, it is always a good idea to contact a professional pest control company who has the expertise and equipment necessary to rid a property of these creatures. A pest professional can help you not only safely eliminate the pigeons, but also help you determine where and why these animals are infiltrating your property and how to eliminate the conducive conditions to prevent future problems.

The Hulett Solution:

Bird
Spike

Bird
Exclusion Netting

Bird
Exclusion Slope

Bird
Electrical Track

Bird
Visual Deterrent

Bird
Audio Deterrent

Hulett will send a trained professional to survey your property and provide solutions to meet your needs and your budget at no charge. Want to protect your employees and customers health & well being? Want to protect your company’s image and bottom line?

Where are pigeons most likely to be found and why?

Pigeons can be found anywhere in the country, but are most frequently found in heavily populated areas where people (most often unintentionally) will provide them with an abundant supply of food. Pigeons prefer grains for food and by spilling food or leaving trashcans uncovered, humans are inadvertently providing them with a continuous food supply, one that these birds have become dependent on.

Pigeons have also become dependent on humans to provide them with roosting and nesting sites. They are commonly found around agricultural areas, warehouses and feed mills, as well as inner city parks, buildings, and bridges. They prefer to build their nests on flat, secluded surfaces such as ledges, eaves, and windowsills, or in other protected areas such as gutters and steeples.

What do pigeons look like?

Most pigeons are approximately 11 inches long and weigh about 13 ounces. They typically have a gray body with whitish rump, red feet, and two black bars on their wing feathers and a broad black band on their tail.

What risks do pigeons pose to the health of the public? Do they carry disease?

Pigeons are filthy birds and carry many other pests on them, such as fleas, ticks and mites, which pose their own health dangers to the public, including lyme disease. Pigeons themselves are known to carry several diseases and can contaminate food, causing food poisoning such as salmonellosis. Their plentiful droppings are also known to trigger human slips and falls.

Can pigeons cause damage to buildings and other structures?

Yes, pigeons can cause extensive damage to buildings and other structures due to the corrosiveness of their droppings. Over time, a build up of droppings on any surface will accelerate the aging of the structure and the corrosion can lead to structural instability.

What are some preventative measures that can be taken to avoid a pigeon infestation?

While some may suggest using a decoy owl, snake, or brightly colored balloons to scare the pigeons away, ultimately the pigeons will become acclimated to the presence of these devices and ignore them. The best way to avoid a pigeon infestation is to deny them nesting and roosting space. Vents and gutters should be sealed or covered. Nesting on ledges, eaves or windowsills can be deterred by installing tightly strung wire or string just above the surface.

Additionally, make sure to clean up food spills promptly and keep trashcans covered. By denying the pigeons of a continuous food source, they will seek shelter elsewhere.

What should homeowners and business owners do if they suspect they already have a pigeon infestation?

If you are already seeing signs of a pigeon infestation, it is always a good idea to contact a professional pest control company who has the expertise and equipment necessary to rid a property of these creatures. A pest professional can help you not only safely eliminate the pigeons, but also help you determine where and why these animals are infiltrating your property and how to eliminate the conducive conditions to prevent future problems.

About the Author

Jo-Lynne Shane is a professional blogger, freelance writer and community manager living in the suburbs of Philadelphia with her husband of 18 years, three school-age children and one terribly spoiled Shih Tzu named Savannah. She writes the popular lifestyle blog, Musings of a Housewife, where she shares nutritious wholesome recipes, fitness inspiration from a recovering couch potato, relatable style and beauty advice for the suburban housewife, and reviews of family friendly travel destinations. She also facilitates the vibrant local networking group, Philly Social Media Moms, providing community, support and education for over 200 area bloggers.

Most species of ants are considered ‘nuisance pests,’ meaning that they don’t pose a significant threat to health or property, but are an annoyance when found indoors. In fact, ants are the number one nuisance pest in the United States.

(Carpenter Ant)

Some species of ants, however, can pose threats to health and property. Carpenter ants, for example, excavate wood in order to build their nests, which can cause extensive damage to a structure. Fire ants, on the other hand, sting when threatened, resulting in painful welts that can be dangerous to allergic persons. These species should always be handled by a professional.

Regardless of the species all ants can contaminate food sources and small infestations can grow quickly, so any sign of an infestation should be dealt with promptly.

The UF/IFAS mosquito team has captured headlines yet again, this time with advice on combatting local populations of container-inhabiting mosquitoes.

Roxanne Connelly, a professor with UF/IFAS’ Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory and president of the American Mosquito Control Association, recently took to the keyboard and wrote a column published by the Gainesville Sun on Saturday, June 22.

The column, timed to coincide with National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, explains how residents can reduce the number of mosquitoes in their neighborhoods, by emptying and eliminating sources of standing water.

Florida is home to about a dozen species of container-inhabiting mosquitoes, which use small bodies of standing water as nesting sites. They include notorious disease-spreading species such as Culex nigripalpus (seen above), a significant human health threat.

TERMITE SWARMS REPORTED

As most termites are attracted to moisture, avoid water accumulation near your home’s foundation. Divert water away with properly functioning downspouts, gutters and splash blocks.

Quickly repair house damage from a leaky roof or window as termites can thrive in this moisture.

Never bury wood scraps or waste lumber in the yard, especially near the building. Remove old tree stumps and roots around and beneath the building.

Most importantly, eliminate any wood contact with the soil. Maintaining a 1-inch gap between the soil and wood portions of the building is ideal.

Recognizing the destruction termites can cause, it is important to be aware of infestation warning signs:

Swarming of winged forms in the fall and spring – termites can easily be confused with flying ants.

Evidence of mud tunneling in, over and under wood structures

Wooden structures exhibit darkening or blistering

Damaged wood becomes extremely thin and can be easily punctured by a knife or a screwdriver

“As termites are known to cause over $5 billion dollars in damage each year, virtually all experts recommend calling a pest professional to protect one of your most important investments, your home, from termite infestation,” says Missy Henriksen, NPMA vice president of public affairs.

Professionals offer the specialized skills necessary to rid a home of termite infestation: knowledge of building construction, an ability to identify termite species and the knowledge of applicable methods of termite control.